FINALLY!!

It got here today!! My arduous yoga journey has come to an end...for now. I'm officially a 500-hour RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher) Shiva Rea Prana Vinyasa Teacher. All those trips to Cali (yes, it was a tough job that SOMEONE had to do) have finally paid off. "I'd like to thank the Academy, all my family and friends for their undying love and support..." :)

From the workshop

Here is the latest in yoga jewelry from moondog treasures:

Bhumi Devi Mala Bracelet:

mala bracelet made of burnt red jasper beads. bhumi devi is the sanskrit name for the hindu earth goddess, one of the two wives of vishnu.

a japa mala, or mala, is a set of prayer beads popular in India and Tibet, commonly made from 108 beads. it is used to keep count while reciting, chanting, or mentally repeating a mantra.it is traditional of Tibetan Buddhism to recite mantras 108 times.

many malas have 108 beads, or are also made smaller but are divided into 108 to come up with 27 and 54 bead malas. each time you end a round, you reach the stop bead on top. that helps you keep track of how many times you have gone around.

this mala bracelet has 27 dark red jasper beads and one larger shining red glass bead. the beads are strung on clear strong elastic cord which is double-knotted at the end.

BEAD SIZE: 6MMBRACELET SIZE: 6 1/4 - 6 3/4 inches

From the workshop: Sail On Wire-Wrapped Beaded Cross


this turquoise and black wire-wrapped beaded cross brings thoughts of a sunny day at sea.

the shimmering features chinese crystal, turquoise chip, and glass and silver beads. all of these are wire-wrapped around a large silver cross charm. wrapped into the center of the cross is a large turquoise and black leopard-spotted glass rectangular bead. the cross dangles on a black faux leather cord with lobster clasp closure. a very elegant look.

Moondog Treasures is featured...

This item from moondog treasures is featured in an etsy treasury!! Here is the link to the treasury: http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=51995 Please go take a look!

Etsy Artist of the Week

This week's artist is Buddhakittyglass. This shop does great work and has something in common with moondog treasures: our shops are named after our wonderful pets!!

Buddha Kitty does great work with dichroic glass, as seen by this beautiful blue platter.











From the artist:
I have loved glass for many years. From my initial work in cold glass and small glass jewelry to collecting beach glass while walking on the shore, glass has long fascinated me. I especially enjoy watching the beautiful transformation of glass once heat is applied to it. I began working on kiln formed glass at home in 2006 in my first small kiln. In this kiln, I make tiny “dots” and small pattern bars, which I use as the centerpiece of embellishment on solid transparent glass. All pieces featured here at Buddha Kitty Glass are made in my home studio in Seattle.

moondog treasures is featured on craftcult.com

moondog treasures is one of the featured artists on craftcult.com, a great web-site that shows off etsy's artists.

here's one of the items from my store that will be spotlighted during the next few days:

Latest from moondog treasures

a colorful OM soldered pendant on cord, the latest from my shop:

show off your inner peace with this double-sided soldered pendant. on one side of the pendant is the symbol for "om", the universal sound for all creation. on the other side is an image of abstract art on designer paper.the images are secured between two hand-cut pieces of glass that are then soldered together with lead free silver solder. the pendant is securely sealed but it is not waterproof. the pendant dangles on a dark brown faux leather cord with lobster clasp closure.

From the workshop:

New from moondog treasures


laugh out loud!!! the chat abbreviation "LOL" is hand-stamped onto a small sterling silver circle disk pendant. the fun pendant dangles on a delicate sterling silver chain with clasp closure. pendant is hand-stamped and one of a kind. because the entire piece is made of sterling silver, this elegant, yet fun, gift that will last and last.

LOL CHARM: 5/8 inch diameter
CORD LENGTH: 16 inches

Etsy Artist of the Week

In honor of Earth Day, I have chosen studiomme as my etsy artist of the week. This etsy artist recycles paper from books to make envelopes. Click on the pic to see the listing and more from this great etsian.

A word from the artist:

If my life were perfect, I would have been born two hundred years ago. Instead, I find myself in the technology age using the traditional pen and ink techniques of dead people.

All of my prints are high-quality, printed on archival-safe cotton rag paper by the Cadillac of printers, an Epson large enough to take up an entire shelf of my boyfriend's bookcase.

This is a listing for 8 envelopes handcrafted from a repurposed, 1976 book on Italy. Enjoy Italians in short shorts, old cars, and even older cities.

Someone wants my photo advice!!

He he! I've been interviewed for someone's blog! Check out http://glorioushats.blogspot.com/ for her compilation of tips from Etsy artists on how to photograph jewelry. Here is the photo from moondog treasures that she likes.

Etsy Artist of the Week

It's back!! My Etsy Artist of the Week. I know it's been awhile...so, here goes! This week's artist is audzipan. She's based in Wood Cross, Utah. I just fell in love w/ her photos. She's a great breath of spring! Click on the pic visit her etsy store.

From the artist:

Here we have three wooden blocks depicting a basil leaf, a fern, and a poppy flower, perfect for that little spot on the wall or empty space on the bookshelf. The designs have been screenprinted on a piece of tea-stained muslin and nailed to the blue-gray washed wood with upholstery nails.

Moondog Treasures is featured...

Items from my jewelry collection have been purchased to sell in this wonderful artist's shop!!

It's called Mecca on Main and it's in Aubrey, Texas! Click on the pic for a link to their blog. The owner Lisa Reed (a yoga enthusiast herself) defines her shop as "a place where artists and students gather to create art. We have studio space, gallery, gifts,art classes and special event space." I'm very excited, and honored, to be among such talented people!!

My Last Trip to Cali...For Now

So, I went to LA in February for the last of my 500-hour yoga teacher training w/ Shiva Rea. It feels bittersweet. I'm so glad to have finished the training - a huge accomplishment, comparable to achieving a master's degree in Spanish Lit. Now I'm sad that I don't have a "real" excuse to keep going back to California every few months!

I rented a car this time. LA traffic really wasn't as bad as I had heard. It must have been a full moon or something :). It was fun traveling on my own, exploring the city, thanks to the GPS on loan to me by my hosts, Michael and Michiko.

Here are some pics from my oftentimes rainy drive: Ventura Blvd., the 405, Mulholland Drive, the PCH, Laurel Canyon Blvd., Malibu, Pepperdine University, and a dog wash called Moondoggies (I couldn't resist).







































Michiko and I went to a private party at Nobu. That's Ron Howard in the background. He's the guy in the blue sweater. You'll just have to trust me on that.



I drove into Venice Beach from LA for the training most every morning at 5:45 a.m. to beat the morning traffic. Here is a pic of Santa Monica, taken from outside the health food shop where I had lunch most days. Also some pics of the Venice Boardwalk.

The Shiva yoga training. So much to learn, so little time.

Outdoor training. Sunny, but cold!











An evening at Agape. Hanging out w/ my sweet yoga friends before leaving.

I'll miss Cali.

From my shop...

Just posted this today at moondogtreasures. Shanti Peace Soldered Pendant on Chain:

shanti is the sanskrit word for peace. this soldered glass pendant contains the word "shanti" on one side and its equivalent in sanskrit on the other in crisp black and white. a beautiful tribute to the concept of peace.the images are secured between two hand-cut pieces of glass that are then soldered together with lead free silver solder. the pendant is securely sealed but it is not waterproof. the pendant dangles on a silver ball link chain with adjustable lobster clasp closure.

Etsy Artist of the Week

BeachHouseBlues is this week's Etsy artist. One of my favorite books is Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. This photo of the Nautilus reminds me of one of the chapters in that book about how we are all multi-faceted beings shedding our various layers as the creature inside the nautilus does when it grows too big for its shell. I'm fortunate to be able to revisit the coast of California soon for more yoga teacher training. I'm looking forward to experiencing a connection with the ocean.

From the artist:
Beach House Blues represents a state of mind. Quite simply it’s about beauty and nature and how they impact our lives in both simple and extraordinary ways. Beach House Blues is about a life full of great friends, wonderful conversation and dinner parties that last throughout the night. It’s about remembering those special moments in our lives that we wish would go on forever and creating a space where new memories will be made. It’s about surrounding ourselves with things that we love.
Archival photograph of a nautilus shell printed on a beautiful fiber paper. Black background. The image is 4 x 4, the print is 6 x 6.

Just Had to Share

I just came across this artist's beautiful mandalas on Etsy and I have to share some! From EyePopArt:

From the artist:

Mandala Magnets are here! I found a bunch of round magnets at SCRAP, a program here in Portland, Oregon that diverts tons of materials from being thrown into the landfill by reselling them to the public. Somehow or other they got ahold of these "I Support Green Power" magnets from Utah Power (which you can see in the last photo). I bought 'em up, because I love circles...Circle, of course is what the Sanskrit word "mandala" means, and mandalas are my middle name! So I printed stickers of my mandala designs and put them on the magnets to create cool new upcycled love!

New Today!

Here is the latest from moondogtreasures: Texas Star

a bright shimmering star adorns a colorful strand of chipped stones. strand features black, turquoise, red and pink howlite and jasper stones mixed with silver plate rectangular beads. the focal point of this piece is the large circular pendant of a silver star surrounded by diamond-studded rhinestones.necklace closes with an elegant silver toned toggle clasp.

The Beauty and Simplicity of Winter

This is a kirigami snowflake made by my daughter. It hangs in my office window. Just thought I'd share.